Dragon's Desire
by marks
Summary: It has been the worst day of Ginny's life. Harry has married Hermione, the Weasleys are in debt to the Goblins, and Malfoy has her just where he wants her...or does he?
1. The Proposition

DRAGONS DESIRE 

Ginny Weasley looked at herself in the mirror of the ladies' bathroom at the wedding reception centre, and breathed a little sigh of relief. Even though it had been the worst week in her life, at least it hadn't shown. Her bridesmaid's dress complemented her pale skin, and her eyes were bright - too bright even considering that she had not slept more than two hours over the past few days. 

She shrugged her shoulders and grimaced as she made her way out to see the bridal couple off. 

"Oh No!" She thought, and her face fell as her eyes alit on the smirking face of Draco Malfoy. "That's all I need." 

"Well, Malfoy? Nothing better to do than hang round the ladies' bathroom?" 

"Just thought I'd let you know, weasel, that the bride is about to throw the bouquet - she's waiting for her favourite bridesmaid. Mind you." He added with a laugh. "No point you getting the bouquet. You haven't even got a boyfriend." 

With that he lounged off with that insolent chuckle that had never failed to rouse her to anger at Hogwarts. 

"Hogwarts." She sighed. Four years since she left, and yet almost a lifetime. The memories came back, head girl, highest marks ever in herbology, starting up her own herb and potion supply business, the great wizard war with the narrow defeat of the death eaters. And yet, here she was twenty-two, single, never had a boyfriend, depressed as all hell, and the only man she ever really felt anything for was getting married to someone else. Sheesh. 

"GINNY! Are you coming or not?" It was Molly Weasley, her mother. 

"Yes mother!" Ginny hurried to the reception room just as the married couple were about to leave. 

"About time you were here." Teased Hermione. "I was going to throw the bouquet without you. Harry was fast losing patience." She looked slyly at her new husband, turned her back and threw the bouquet. 

Her throw was rather inept as it turned out, missing the gaggle of single women by a mile and headed for the side wall where Draco Malfoy was lounging. Suddenly, with the reflexes of years of quidditch, he swatted the bouquet hard - straight at Ginny who caught it in stunned surprise. 

Hermione and Harry laughed. "OK Ginny, you're next to be married!" With that the, new Mr and Mrs Potter headed out to the bridal broomsticks and off to their honeymoon, leaving the rest of the guests to finish off the reception food and drink. 

In a subdued mood, Ginny returned to the Weasleys' table. The mood there was bad. Now that the newlyweds had left, there was no need to keep up the false gaiety. Ginny sat next to her father and put her arms around him. "It'll turn out right somehow father. We'll manage." 

Her father shook his head slowly. "It's all my fault. Your mother warned me over and over again about putting charms on muggle artefacts, but I thought I could get away with it forever and now I've lost my job when the Ministry found out. I just hope that I can find something soon." He sighed despondently. "And of course, the minute they knew I'd lost my job at the Ministry, the goblins were straight onto me about repaying the loans." 

"The loans?" Said Ginny, aghast. "What loans?" 

"Well." Faltered her father. "What with seven of you to put through Hogwarts, and the job paying so little, and getting no pay during the war with Voldemort." I really am in debt to Gringotts up to my neck. And what the goblins do to people that don't pay" He shuddered. 

Fred and George piped up. "Well, we can sell our business for something. We'll have to start again, but" 

"And I can sell mine too." Added Ginny firmly. "After all, if the debt was to put us through Hogwarts, it's only fair that we help pay it back." 

Arthur Weasley shook his head. "You know full well that after the war, your businesses are so run down they can scarcely support you, let alone pay off a goblin loan. Even if you all sold up, I'd be finished in six months anyway, and you'll be down the drain too." They were all silent at that. 

Molly was the first to speak. "Well." She sighed. "Surely something will turn up. I think we should be off. Let's go home." 

"As long as it still is ours." Mumbled Mr Weasley. 

Ginny shook her head, fighting back the tears. "Look, I'll join you a little later, I'd like to talk some more with some of my old school friends. You lot go on." 

With that she watched as they went to the fireplace, got out the floo powder and headed off to the burrow. 

She slowly walked toward the group of other women grouped around the cake. 

"Hi Weazel." Came the drawl. "So you did get the bouquet after all. Too bad you weren't the bride eh? Weren't you just itching to scratch her eyes out?" 

"Oh, do drop dead, you irritating prat." Retorted Ginny. "As if I don't have any other problems." 

"Well, and so you do, don't you." Came the smirking response. "Too bad about your dad losing his job, and the goblins at Gringotts have some rather nasty ways of getting their loans back too, I hear." 

Ginny turned in a mixture of surprise, mortification and anger. "How did you know about that? Who told you?" 

Draco Malfoy carefully examined his fingernails and then looked her up and down in a way that strangely unsettled her. "Oh, our family has a finger in a lot of pies. We get all sorts of information if we are interested." 

Ginny snorted. "And since when have you been interested in the Weasleys?" 

Draco looked at her and licked his lips. "The Weasleys, never. But one particular Weasley, I have had a case of the hots for since the last five years Virginia. Can you think whom I might be talking about, or do you share the usual Gryffindor denseness?" 

Ginny curled her lips. "I don't think Ron shares your ardour, ferret." 

"Oh very witty Virginia, but let me get to the point. Your father is ruined and so are you and your brothers. Do you know what the goblins do to people who can't pay?" 

Ginny nodded her head and muttered, "As if you'd care Malfoy". 

"Quite right Weasel, I don't give a toss what the goblins will do to your mother and father and that precious Burrow of yours." 

"But you care what happens to them, don't you Virginia? You care a lot." The silken voice almost hissed. 

Ginny nodded her head. "Yes." She whispered. 

"Well, I have some good news. You, Virginia Weasel, can save them." 

"And how might that be?" She answered dully. 

"Tut tut. Gryffindor slowness again." He gloated. 

Ginny tossed her head and made as if to move around him. With a speed that belied his deceptive langour, he grabbed her by the arm. 

"Not so hasty if you please. It's quite easy to explain. In about an hour or so, Harry Potter and Mrs Potter will be enjoying themselves in the way that newlyweds traditionally enjoy themselves on their wedding night. But for some obscure reason, I think I too should like to enjoy myself like that. Trouble is, whereas Harry has Hermy, I don't have anyone. Bit of a problem, don't you think?" 

Ginny was not liking the direction of this conversation at all. "Well, I am sure your hand will understand, and not refuse you, Malfoy, or if you are really desperate, Pansy Parkinson would fall over herself to oblige you." 

"Oh, that Weasley wit. So now where is that 'Weasley will' to help others Virginia? I thought that perhaps to help your father and mother out of a serious hole, you might help me." Draco pulled a face of mock concern that made Virginia itch to slap it. "I mean Weasel, I'm not quite sure why you want to avoid me. It's not as if I am repulsive. But the added inducement of keeping your father out of the hands of the goblins should surely carry some weight with you. You won't have to do anything that Hermy won't be doing with Harry you know, and you'll be paid." Malfoy put on his best trademark smirk. 

Ginny looked aghast. "You meando it...with youfor money?" 

Draco put on a spurious expression of distaste. "My dear Weasel, I prefer to think of it as me helping you and your family out with a serious problem, for which you show me a certain amount of, well, ahem, gratitude. You know, you scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours - in the Malfoy Manor Jacuzzi of course." 

He paused for effect. "Let me put it to you so that even the dullest of Gryffindors could understand. It's either the goblins for your father, or 'you and me babe'. Or... you could marry me." He added almost nonchalantly. 

Ginny looked at him with disbelief. 

"Malfoy, why on earth would you want to marry me?" She managed to choke out. 

"Well, how about 'I love you' as a reason?" Drawled Malfoy. 

"As if!" She snorted. "Pull the other one Malfoy. You wouldn't know what love was if it came up and slapped you on the face." 

A look of almost hurt flickered across his face for an instant. It was gone so fast, replaced by the Malfoy smirk that Ginny dismissed it as her imagination playing tricks with her. 

"Alright then." He said with a sneer. "Try this for a reason. The Malfoys are one of the highest ranking wizarding families in the world. Our bloodline goes back thousands of years. We have only bred with pureblood wizards of the best types. But it comes to a point where you can only interbreed so much before recessive genes pop up. So I need to marry someone who is of a pureblood wizarding family, and who will enable me to produce children to keep the Malfoy line strong." 

He looked at her with a calculating eye before continuing. "While your family is so far below mine, I shouldn't even be talking to you, nonetheless, the Weasleys do have two things that I need. You are purebloods, and you breed like rabbits. Is that a reason that you would believe of me Virginia? Like I say, I am willing to overlook your lousy family connections and marry you." 

Virginia was appalled. Over many years she had been insulted, but this was beyond belief. "Marry you? When you seem to think of me as some sort of sow pushing out piglets? You are so ugh.....!" She cried in anger. "I tell you this, Malfoy. I had not known you for more than a day when I had decided that you were the last man on earth I would ever marry." 

"Ah well," he sighed. "Then, it's back to the goblins for your father, or you for me Weasel. But hurry up, I haven't got all day." He sounded rather impatient. 

"I can't believe you Malfoy. How low can anyone get?" 

"Well, that's fortunate for you isn't it Weasel." 

"You are taking advantage of our family's situation to satisfy some animal urge, and you just sit there smirking. How can anyone think like that?" 

"Well." He shrugged. "It seems rather logical to me." 

"Slytherin logic!" She huffed. 

Draco inclined his head with a little smile. "As you wish. I see no problem with a concept that has me sacrificing some money to gain the, ahem, pleasure of your company, albeit on a temporary basis. I see that the pleasure I would get out of getting very very close to you Virginia, as far outweighing the loss of money. If that is Slytherin logic, so be it. On the other hand, you have to wrestle with the idea of keeping your virtue, but seeing your family and your precious Burrow going down to the Goblins, or on the other hand compromising that virtue, but saving your family. What does Gryffindor logic say in such cases?" 

Draco stood before her with his two hands outstretched, palms upward, as if weighing something. He looked at his left hand and then his right. "On the one hand, Virginia's virtue, on the other hand your family's happiness. That is entirely your choice Virginia, and I am curious to know what that choice will be. You said I wouldn't know what love was if it slapped me in the face. Well, do you know what love is, and do you love your family enough to make a sacrifice? And how big a sacrifice? It's not as if I am that repulsive. But yes, Virginia, it is Slytherin logic. I want you, and I am prepared to do what it takes to have you." 

Ginny stood transfixed by his speech. Her brain whirled with thought and doubt. She hardly knew what to do. 

"Anyway, you know where to find me." And with a smirk, a shrug of his shoulders and a slight 'pop', he disaparated. 

Ginny frowned at the spot where he had been sitting. It suddenly occurred to her that Malfoy's presence at the wedding had puzzled her. Why had Harry and Hermione invited him? And even more strangely, why had he been one of the groomsmen? 

Draco had been a prat at school she thought. Except for his last two years when he had changed strangely. She bit her lip in concentration trying to picture him, and then, ever so slowly, it came back to her. 

It was on the Hogwarts Express on the way home at the end of her fourth year. They had been in the corridor of the train when it suddenly lurched, flinging her and Malfoy together, tangling legs and arms. She remembered her feeling of embarrassment as he had grabbed her on the way down, as it was perfectly obvious from the look on his face that he realised she was not wearing underclothes. And she knew that he could easily work out that it was because she had only a couple of sets of them, almost threadbare since the Weasleys were so poor and buying overgarments was such a struggle, that underwear was even more thin and tattered still. 

She just knew that Malfoy was going to announce to the whole train that Weasel couldn't afford underwear, she just knew it. And yet, when he got up, he helped her as well, and looked at her as if in a daze. It was almost as if he had received a hit over the head in the fall on the floor of the carriage. They finally separated in embarrassment, and she had hurried off, leaving him to stare at her retreating back. When she left the train and passed the Slytherins, she cringed in fear, expecting their taunts about her not being able to afford underwear, and yet there was nothing, Malfoy had said nothing. Most odd. 

After the holidays and into her fifth year, she noticed a change in Malfoy from the beginning. He was standing with Harry Potter outside the gargoyle leading to Dumbledore's office. He had grown, and yet there was more. His taunting and snide remarks seemed to have vanished. Instead, he appeared withdrawn and aloof, he abandoned his two goon friends, Crabbe and Goyle, and threw himself into his studies, surfacing only to play hard Quidditch. He went about his business quietly and coolly, saying little and appearing like a gray handsome ghost, except that every now and then, Ginny would catch him looking at her with an unfathomable expression. He, like Harry was now a little too large for a seeker in Quidditch, and took up chasing instead, and his rivalry with Harry, too had changed. It seemed that they now were testing each other, and working together as older wolf cubs are wont to do as they prepare to enter the pack as adult males, and with Ron and Hermione as well. Draco and the others were not friends in any sense of the word, but they pushed each other hard at everything they did, almost as if Voldemort were after them personally. 

The games of childhood had turned serious Ginny reflected. And good that they had. Since it was only by the merest margin that Voldemort had been defeated finally a year or two later. Those hard years of training had only just been enough. And Malfoy had defied his father to take the side of light. Ginny wondered what had caused his change. 

She shook her head at the tangent her mind had taken, after all, the Draco that had just propositioned her seemed to be the bad Draco of old. She walked over to the fire, and took out some floo powder. 

She paused for a long time slowly shaking her head. That seemed so long ago. The old sarcastic and unpleasant Malfoy had reappeared, and he had her right where he wanted her. He knew just what buttons to push, and he pushed them without compunction to get what he wanted. She shivered and headed slowly for the fireplace. She knew what she had to do. 

"Malfoy Manor!" She called as she dusted the floo powder. 


	2. The First Date

Disclaimer: 

Harry Potter and the Characters herein are the property of JKRowling, Bloomsbury Books, Warner Bros et al. 

Hogwarts is a word I first saw in 'How to be Topp' By Willans and Searle published by Puffin Books. 

Since I am a fan of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer some of the language will be recognisable. If there is any doubt, it's theirs. 

However, the plot is mine!!! 

I am not making any money out of this. 

Phew! 

Thanks to those who have reviewed so far. *bows in gratitude* While it may seem a little hard to envisage why Malfoy may have ended up as a groomsman at Harry and Hermione's wedding, it will become very obvious in later chapters. You are _meant _to doubt at this stage, and be just as puzzled as Ginny is. 

Dragon's Desire 

Chapter 2 - The First Date 

In the previous chapter: 

__

_She paused for a long time slowly shaking her head. That seemed so long ago. The old sarcastic and unpleasant Malfoy had reappeared, and he had her right where he wanted her. He knew just what buttons to push, and he pushed them without compunction to get what he wanted. She shivered and headed slowly for the fireplace. She knew what she had to do._

__

_"Malfoy Manor!" She called as she dusted the Floo powder._

__

__

__Now Read On.__

__

"Ah! Virginia, or should I call you Ginny?" Said Draco affably as she appeared out of the grate. 

He had on a light robe and underneath something that looked like a short dressing gown. It hid neither his well-proportioned chest, nor his powerful thighs, but the state of his dress did nothing to calm Ginny's feelings. She fixed him with a direct look and shrugged her shoulders. 

"We're not here for the small talk are we? I take it since you know so much, you know the amount that my father needs to keep the goblins at bay?" 

Draco inclined his head with a small smile and placed a pile of galleons on a side table. "That should keep him safe for a month or so." 

Ginny wordlessly picked up the gold and put it into her purse. 

Draco came close and gave her a light kiss. His breath smelt of fresh mint and was warm on her cheek. She looked up at him, and was surprised to see an almost kindly look greeting her. 

"You know." He said almost haltingly. "I will try not to make this too bad for you. I mean, I hope even, you will get to like it." With that he gently took her cheeks in his hand and started to plant little kisses on her lips moving up her cheek to her earlobes. 

Ginny closed her eyes, it didn't feel that bad really, in fact it was quite pleasant, it was just thatand before she could help it, tears started rolling down her cheeks. 

Draco checked in surprise. "Hush now." He hesitated then continued. "Hang on for a bit, Ginny and take a few deep breaths. It's been a lousy week for you and your family hasn't it?" His voice sounded almost as if he cared. 

Ginny just nodded and sniffed, hunting for a handkerchief in her purse. 

"Try one of mine" Said Draco offering her one with DM and the Malfoy crest embroidered on it. 

Draco sat down heavily. "Come on, sit down here." 

She sat down next to him and he put his arm around her, drawing her close. He put his hand under her chin and brought her face up to meet his. 

"Do you know why I have always thought of Gryffindors as being stupid?" 

She shook her head and sniffed again. 

"Well, as I recall, there was Ginny Weasley, cute as a button, smart, and fun to be with. And all those Gryffindor boys could think of was 'here is Ron's little sister'. Not one of them could see how good looking or clever you were. Not one of them was smart enough to ask you out except in desperation at the Yuletide ball. Not even the famous Happy Rotter. How stupid were they Ginny?" 

"And how do you think I feel now Malfoy? They at least ignored me. You want to turn mehave turned meinto a wh-." Draco quickly brought his hands up to cover her lips. "Don't say it." 

"You know." He said in a slightly reproachful tone. "I am sure I suggested that we could marry. I know I did. You had three options, not accept my offer, or marry me, or yes, become my mistress. Yours was the choice." 

"You won't even leave me with the dignity of at least the facade of being forced into it will you, Malfoy?" 

Malfoy gave a crooked grin. "Well, there is another offer I can make." He paused and used the handkerchief to wipe away the tears rolling down Ginny's cheeks. 

"What say for the next twelve months you were to become my girlfriend? And I don't insist on going all the way with you, just a heavy pg15 snogfest, that's all, unless you want more?" He let that sink in. 

"But the catch is, that you will have to acknowledge me as your boyfriend to everyone, and not go out with anybody else at all in that time." 

Ginny laughed nervously. "You're just hoping I'll change my mind about you and let you" 

"Rubbish!" He snorted. I could get that right now. You've taken my money after all. I'm trying to be nice. That's all." 

"And if I accept, you will keep paying the goblins?" 

"Better than that, I will pay them off for a year and get them to write a letter to your father explaining that there was an error in claiming the interest and that he has a year extra to pay. Oh, and one more thing. Your herbal farm and potion supply business has great potential, but it could do with a big cash injection to build new greenhouses and storages for imported plants. I will provide the cash in return for an equal share in the business. I'll be a sleeping partner. You won't find me interfering in your work." 

"What's the catch?" Said Ginny suspiciously. 

"No catch. Your business needs a capital injection and I need somewhere to invest some of my money. And I do want to snog with you rather badly. Do we have a deal or not?" 

"I get to keep my pants on at all times?" Ginny looked at him through narrowed eyes. 

"At least when I'm around. Though I think your mother would start to worry if you kept the same ones on for a year." His boyish grin at this was almost believable, thought Ginny. 

"Then we have a deal." She said with her chin up. "Shake on it, Malfoy!" 

Draco extended his hand. "Done! But do call me Draco." 

Ginny looked at him rather nervously. "So what's next?" 

Draco sighed. "I think that you'd better go home now. Your parents will be wondering where you are, and I don't want to cause any problems." 

"You mean you are thinking about someone else Draco?" Ginny couldn't believe her ears. 

Draco snorted. "Listen Weasel. If you get home late now, and your brothers find out it was because of me, they will be on our case. And I definitely want to get some serious snogging in before they catch on. Thinking about someone else? As if!" 

"Well." Thought Ginny. "I was beginning to doubt myself there." Out loud she said. "Look Draco, even though I think you are a prat. I guess I have to be honest and say that I am grateful for your help, so what have you got planned for tomorrow?" 

"Tomorrow?" He replied blankly. 

"Yes, tomorrow. You did say that you wanted me to play girlfriend for a year. That means you get to take me outor do you want to visit the burrow first up? I was thinking perhaps a nice muggle restaurant, or a play? Or do you just want to snog?" 

"Well." He said slowly. "I guess I really should face, er, I mean meet your parents and lull them into a false sense of sec-, I mean assure them that you are in safe hands with me. Then we can go to a play or come back here and snog. He paused, as if thinking, and then as a smile came over his face, said: I'll pick you up at seven tomorrow night then?" 

"OK, ok, but I must get home now. They'll be wondering what I've been doing all this time. And bye the way, the name is Ginny." 

Draco closed his eyes and smirked at the likely reaction if Ron Weasley had the faintest idea what he and Ginny were going to be doing. 

"Bye Ginny" He said, and popped a kiss on her cheek. Then one on her mouth, then.... 

"Uh! Must go! See you tomorrow at seven." With that she took out the Floo powder, stepped into the fire and shouted, "_The Burrow_!" 

Ginny Weasley woke up the next morning after the first good night's sleep in a while. She stretched and yawned and smiled at the sun's rays coming through the window. 

She shook her head at the previous day's events from the low of seeing Harry married and her father's despair, to the lifeline handed to her by, of all people, Draco Malfoy. 

She frowned in concentration for a second, trying to make some sense of it. But the more she thought, the better their deal seemed to her. Her father would be out of trouble for a year at least, and with Malfoy's cash injection into her herb and potion business, it could easily turn out that she would be earning enough money by the end of a year to pay off the goblins forever. And there were other benefits. Malfoy was right. She hadn't ever had a boyfriend, and hadn't Padma said that you can go for years without anyone wanting to be your boyfriend, but the minute one comes along, there are several more that come along at the same time. Maybe in the year with Malfoy, some others might show some interest. They could be followed up after their deal was over in twelve months. 

Then her thoughts turned to Malfoy himself. What was his little game? It was beyond belief that he was in love or wanted marriage. That was just too far fetched. Still, whatever his scheme was, the benefits to her outweighed the costs by a long chalk. And, she thought with a guilty start, snogging with Malfoy wouldn't be all that unpleasant. 

With a wicked little chuckle at that thought, she snuggled under the blankets. 

"VIRGINIA!" Came her mother's voice from the passage. "BREAKFAST." 

"Yes mother." She yelled back. "Coming." With that she threw off the blankets and got out of bed. 

She entered the kitchen and sat down at the table with the rest of the clan. Her mother deftly handed out the eggs and bacon with a forced cheerfulness, while every now and then glancing at her husband at the head of the table listlessly looking off into space. Ginny bit her lip, hoping that Malfoy would hurry his business with Gringotts. Seeing her usually cheerful father like this was badly unsettling. 

Suddenly, there was a tapping at the window and a rather large owl appeared. Molly opened the window, and took the proffered letter, handing the owl some sweets. In a flash, it was gone, leaving Molly to stare at the letter. 

"It's from Gringotts." She said dully. 

Mr Weasley looked up. "It had to come, m'dear. Let's open the letter and face the music." 

Suddenly, her mother burst into tears and ran out of the room, leaving the note on the table. Her father ran after her, softly calling, "Molly! Molly!" 

The rest of them looked at the note resentfully, and Ron grabbed it and threw it into the fire. "B@$&@rd Goblins!" He ejaculated. 

Ginny dove for the fire place and quickly took the letter out before it had started to singe. "Perhaps we should read it first?" 

She opened it, and started reading out loud. 

_ "Dear Sir, _ __ _I refer to our previous letter demanding full and final payment of your debt by today. However, due to some oversight or other in our accounts department, I am pleased to advise that the debt is not due until one calendar year from today. Of course should you be placed to pay the loan off sooner, I should be,_ __ _Your most humble and obliged servant._ __ _(Signed) Grevillius Grabber III, _ _Teller-in-charge"_

__

__

Draco had delivered! 

Ginny ran after her mother and father. "It's all right. The Goblins have given us a year!" 

Molly and Arthur were in the small sitting room on the couch cuddled together for comfort and they looked at her uncomprehendingly. 

"Did you hear me? The Goblins made a mistake - you don't have to pay till next year." 

"Really?" Her father said in disbelief. 

"Really! Here it is." She waved the letter in her father's face. 

He took it from her, looked through it, reading again and again as if it were impossible to comprehend. Finally, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Molly, we're saved." He hugged and kissed his wife and then Ginny, and then the boys who by this time had crowded happily into the room. 

"Merlin, I am so happy, I don't think anything could upset me now." He cried. 

Well, thought Ginny, that was my cue. 

"Well, father. You know yesterday when I came home late?" 

"Er yes." Said Mr Weasley. 

"The reason I was late was that I was talking to Draco Malfoy." The temperature in the room cooled noticeably. 

"What did he want?" Asked George. 

"He asked me to go out with him." Replied Ginny. 

"HE WHAT???" Shouted all the male Weasleys. Well, almost all the male Weasleys, Ron, for some reason was strangely silent. 

"He asked me to go out with him and I said yes. And he's coming round here tonight to pick me up." 

"The hell he" Started George. 

"George! Mind your language." Said Mrs Weasley sternly. "Besides, if Virginia wants to go out with someone at her age, it is none of your business." 

While Ginny was glad for her mother's intervention, she couldn't fail to notice the use of the word 'Virginia' rather than the usual 'Ginny'. 

"Thanks mother. I think I'll go and clean my room now." 

With that Ginny scuttled out of the room and headed to her room upstairs, slamming the door in relief behind her. Whew, she thought. That's the first hurdle over. Now to choose something to wear for tonight. 

To Ginny's relief, nothing more was said on the matter during the rest of the morning and the afternoon, although the air was a little strained. 

At seven o'clock promptly, there was the knock at the door, and Malfoy, true to his word stood in the door that had been opened by George Weasley. 

"Aren't you going to invite me in George old son?" Asked Malfoy with a little smile. 

"George!" Came a voice from inside the house. 

"Yes Mother! Er, won't you come in Malfoy?" He backed away from the front door grudgingly allowing space for Malfoy to enter. 

"Call me Draco. After all, I'm going out with your sister." 

George ground his teeth. "You know what I'd like to call you" 

"George!" Hissed his mother, "If I have to speak to you once more" 

"Right. I'll go and see if Virginia is ready." He trudged out of the hallway and upstairs to Ginny's room. 

"Virginia. Youris here." He said. 

"OK. Coming." Came her voice. 

"Mr Malfoy," began Mrs Weasley, "please accept my apologies for that rudeness. Would you like to come into the lounge room and sit down while you wait for Virginia?" 

"That's quite all right Mrs Weasley, but I hope you will call me Draco." He flashed his best and most winning smile at Mrs Weasley. 

"Well Draco, only if you call me Molly. And, where are you going to tonight?" Darn, thought Molly, now I am starting to pry. 

Draco only bowed and said. "I've got tickets to a little theatre in London that I thought Ginny might like." 

"I'm coming." Shouted Ginny as she ran down the stairs, putting all conversation to a halt. 

Draco stood up, and as Ginny came through the doorway, he was stunned. He had never seen her dressed up before. She had on a full length sheer red evening dress gathered modestly up to the neck at the front, but deeply cut at the back. Her hair framed her face and set off the pale creamy skin of her shoulders and the red leather high heels gave her the extra height needed to transfer her from little sister to WOW! She smiled uncertainly at Draco who seemed unable to move for a second. 

However, with a graceful recovery, he pulled out a little bouquet from under his robes and presented it to her. "You're beautiful." He said almost underneath his breath and so only she could hear. Out loud, he turned to Mrs Weasley, and pulled a small box of chocolates out. "This is for you Molly." 

"Why thank you Draco." She said in astonishment. She shook her head and pointed to the fireplace. "You'd best be off. You don't want to be late for that show now do you?" 

Ginny and Draco headed for the fireplace, but before they got there, they were waylaid by Fred. 

"Listen Malfoy, I don't know what your little game is, but if you so much as touch my little sister" 

Malfoy lifted a supercilious eyebrow. "Aren't you going out with Angelina, Fred?" 

"Well." Bridled Fred. "So what if I am?" 

Malfoy grinned and winked at Ginny who was looking at this confrontation doubtfully. "Well, Fred, I promise that I'll only do to Ginny what you are doing with Angelina. Fair enough?" 

"You DARE Malfoy!" He started, then stopped suddenly, blushing to the roots of his hair. 

"What exactly _are_ you doing with Angelina?" Asked Ginny innocently of her older brother. 

"Err, nothing, forget about it." Mumbled Fred, still as red as a beetroot. 

While Fred was thus disarmed, Malfoy disappeared into the fireplace shouting "_Dyeurn Alley_" amid a shower of floo powder, quickly followed by Ginny. 

Fred turned round to be confronted by his mother with her arms crossed and _that_ look on her face. 

"Well Fred? What _are_ you doing with Angelina?" She demanded. 

"Oh Mother, sheesh. I'm not sixteen any more." 

In Dyern Alley, Draco and Ginny were laughing like drains. "Fred's face was classic." She hooted. 

"From what I can remember Ginny, it was always you that was getting the teasing. Perhaps with a little help from me, the boot will be on the other foot from now on. I wonder how your brothers will like it?" He said contemplatively. "Anyway. Let's get to the theatre." 


	3. Getting to Know you

Disclaimer: 

The characters in this are all the inventions of JKRowling and Warner Bros and Bloomsbury Books. 

I am not making anything out of this. 

I should like to thank those that have reviewed. I hope that people are enjoying the story. 

DRAGON'S DESIRE 

__

__As the last chapter ended:__

__

_Malfoy grinned and winked at Ginny who was looking at this confrontation doubtfully. "Well, Fred, I promise that I'll only do to Ginny what you are doing with Angelina. Fair enough?"_

__

_"You DARE Malfoy!" Fred started, then stopped suddenly blushing to the roots of his hair._

__

_"What exactly are you doing with Angelina?" Asked Ginny innocently of her older brother._

__

_"Err, nothing, forget about it." Mumbled Fred, still as red as a beetroot._

__

_While Fred was thus disarmed, Malfoy disappeared into the fireplace shouting "Dyeurn Alley" amid a shower of floo powder, quickly followed by Ginny._

__

_Fred turned round to be confronted by his mother with her arms crossed and that look on her face. _

__

_"Well Fred? What are you doing with Angelina?" She demanded._

__

_"Oh Mother, sheesh. I'm not sixteen any more."_

__

__

_Note, this chapter is PG13 for some interesting implications._

__

__

__In Dyern Alley, Draco and Ginny were laughing like drains. "Fred's face was classic." She hooted. 

"From what I can remember Ginny, it was always you that was getting the teasing. Perhaps with a little help from me, the boot will be on the other foot from now on. I wonder how your brothers will like it?" He said contemplatively. "Anyway. Let's get to the theatre." 

"So what are we seeing?" Asked Ginny. 

"A rather obscure play called '_The Kew Bus and the Incubus'_ is where we're headed. Hurry up or we'll be late." Said Draco. 

Ginny wrinkled her nose. "Hmm, sounds a bit off to me." 

"Just trust me, and get a move on. It's due to start in ten minutes." 

"Trust you! Yeah, right!" 

Within a few minutes they were at the box office and went past as Draco waved the tickets at the attendant. 

"There doesn't seem to be too many people here Draco." Whispered Ginny. 

Draco looked at her with a grin. "Weeeelllll, I didn't really pick the play for its _literary_ qualities." 

Ginny looked at him suspiciously. "And what qualities _were_ you looking for exactly?" 

"Take a look at the playbill Weasel. What do you see?" He drawled, clearly enjoying himself. 

Ginny looked at the poster and frowned. The lead actor seemed familiar somehow. 

"Aha!" She said. "Gilderoy Lockhart." 

"Indeed, Weasel, indeed! It would seem that he has found his true calling, although from the reviews in the 'Daily Prophet' I don't think that too many others think so." 

"Sooooo Draco, if the play isn't all that good, why exactly are we here?" Said Ginny. 

"You'll see soon enough." He replied with a wicked grin. "Look. Here's our row, right up the back, and, oh look, the seats are doubles. My my, how, er, ahem, _cosy_. Fancy that now!" 

"Hmmm." Was all the reply he got as Ginny headed off to their seat. 

Within five minutes, the lights went down, and as you might have been able to guess, one of Draco's arms was around Ginny's shoulder one millisecond later and the other arm, well, let's just say he was taking full advantage of the thigh length split in Ginny's evening dress. Not that Ginny really minded, for in the odd few seconds over the next hour or so she was able to come up for breath and look at the stage, it was clearly obvious that the play was hopeless. Mind you, the constant snogging over that hour also had both Ginny and Draco in what might be called euphemistically a 'heightened state of awareness'. 

Thus it was that our unlikely girlfriend-boyfriend pair fled the theatre arm in arm at intermission, headed for the nearest grate and with a cloud of floo powder shouted 'Malfoy Manor' together. 

Draco and Ginny appeared out of the fireplace in Draco's bedroom. Ginny reached up behind her neck and released the clasp on her evening dress and carefully slid it off, placing it on the back of one of the chairs. Draco was gulping for air. 

"Not fair Draco." She said. "I think you should loosen of that shirt and those trousers there." With that she slowly moved toward him and started to undo the buttons of his shirt one by one, and with each button she undid, she nibbled at his neck and chest, allowing herself to rub against him. Draco was, understandably, having trouble organising his thoughts, but still retained enough vestiges of composure to remove his trousers and boxers. 

He took Ginny by the waist and led her to the large four poster bed. "Ginny, I...I have been waiting soo long for this..." With that they both went...beserk. 

Later that night after Ginny had returned to the Burrow and lay in her bed, she shook her head in amazement and confusion at what she had just been doing...and with Malfoy at that. She had of course heard the girls at Hogwarts talk about doing such stuff, but she never thought she could ever do half of it without gagging, let alone enjoy it! She grinned a little grin of evil though. Those nail marks in his back would take a couple of days to heal -- even with magic. Ginny wondered idly if Malfoy had remembered making that crack about her scratching his back in the jacuzzi If he made any complaint about it, she would certainly remind him. Yes, she thought to herself, this next year was going to be fun. 

The next morning Draco Malfoy woke up with a groan. He was no innocent by any means, but he had never felt so sha-, er, exhausted in his life. He tried to turn over and gave an involuntary yelp of pain. His back felt as though it had been stabbed by a thousand knitting needles. He got up carefully, wincing as he did so. He made his way to the bathroom mirror, gingerly turning his back toward it to see the source of his discomfort. What he saw caused him to blanch. His back looked as though he had been flogged with a cat of nine tails...and it felt that way too. Draco shook his head, took up his wand and started what looked like it was going to be a long process of applying healing charms via the mirror. "That's the last time I ever tell Ginny that if I scratch her back, she should scratch mine...I wonder where she learned to...nah, better not ask." Thus he thought, as he dabbed away with the wand. 

Thus our unlikely pair forged their relationship over the next few months. Draco played the gentleman and had Arthur and Molly eating out of his hand, and Ginny eating from elsewhere (Restaurants if you must know!). Ginny's business too had taken off, helped along by the injection of Malfoy cash. This had enabled the building of glasshouses and sheds as well as the development of a distribution network. She was working longer and longer hours filling orders and the money was rolling in - sort of. However, the longer working hours were cutting into quality snogging time as far as Malfoy was concerned, and he was about to do something about that. Snogging is important. 

With a 'pop' he apparated in the room that served as Virginia's office. She looked up at him from her work and greeted him with a smile. She rose from her chair and moved over to give him a peck on the cheek. 

"What's up? I haven't seen you in here before." She said. 

"Well." He drawled. "I know I said I would be a sleeping partner in the business, but I thought I would have a look at my investment for once. 

He cast his eye critically round the office at the piles of paper mounded up on desks and shoved in drawers so full that they couldn't close. 

"Looks a bit messy, Gin." He said. 

Ginny crossed her arms and glared at him. "You have been grouching about how much time I spend here already. What would you prefer? I could spend a few more hours a day here to fix the paperwork, or I can spend time with you." 

"Well now...Good Merlin!" He exclaimed as he picked up a piece of paper from one of the piles on the floor. "Look at this - Someone owes you two hundred galleons from..." He raised his eyebrows and continued in fainting accents. "...six months ago!!" 

"Listen Mr Smart Aleck Malfoy, did you come here to be a pest, or do you have something positive to contribute?" 

"Well, Virginia. It looks to me like you need someone to keep the administration of this place up to date." 

Virginia raised her head to the sky. "You don't need an MBA to work that out wonder-boy! The trouble is, it takes so long to advertise and interview and train people. And time is the one thing I don't have, unless you have some idea of doing some of this for me?" 

"Malfoy looked at her and the piles of paper with distaste. "You can't be serious. I have all my books done by the Malfoy Estate Steward. Anything else, I file under 'Shredder' - the only piece of muggle equipment I have in the house. However, I do know someone who is reliable, honest, has good administrative experience and is at least as trustworthy as I am." 

"You expect me to put someone on that YOU recommend?" Said Ginny in a fit of spite. 

She bit her tongue a second later after she saw the tell-tale smirk on Malfoy's face. From their months of going out, she could tell he was going to make her feel silly. 

"Actually Ginny, I was going to suggest your father for the job. After all, he has the experience in administration, and is looking for work. You also know full well he is driving your mother distracted in the kitchen. A few hours a day here would give him some well needed cash, give him something to do, and perhaps over the year, as the business grows, it could turn into a full-time position." 

Ginny hit her head with her hand. Of course. Her father. No need for job interviews and all that nonsense - he could start straight away. And best of all, it would remove the gloom and depression that he had been feeling since he had lost his Ministry job, not to mention catching up on all that money she was owed in the bills scattered round the office and stuffed in drawers. 

She sighed. "I guess I owe you one, Malfoy. And..." She continued with an apologetic smile, "...no time like the present for paying off my debts." 

With that she flicked her fingers and the doors locked themselves with a click, the blinds snapped shut and a bed appeared from nowhere in the middle of the floor. "Hmm." She said as she surveyed the room. "One more thing..._Accio Baby Oil_!" 

A/N Now for those readers who know what comes next, I shall not add to your imaginations. To those innocents among you who do not know what Ginny and Draco are about to do, I refer you to your parents or personal trauma counsellor. However, there is one piece of advice I need to impart at this point as it relates to personal safety. If ever you use baby oil, it is important to wash it off later on, as it can clog the pores. If the pores become clogged, they can become infected and cause blood poisoning. As responsible young adults, of course Ginny and Draco know this. Hence after the hour or two...or three of using the baby oil, naturally enough, they needed to take a bath to remove the oil. Ahem, naturally. 

"Mmmm Draco," said Ginny as she luxuriated in the bath, "there seems to be a lot of baby oil just here. How about using that soap to rub it off? I wouldn't like to get clogged pores." 

"Me either. And I think I ought to give you a bit more soaping over there too Ginny. Can't be too careful about not getting those pores clogged now. How about if we get the soap all over us and then..." 

A/N Aah. I do like a clean story. 

It was now late spring, and Draco and Ginny, having decided to take the day off were lying on the lawn just de-gnomed lawn of the Burrow. The clouds scudded past and the couple breathed in the spring air. Draco coughed nervously and rolled over to his elbow so he could see Ginny's face. 

"You know," he said. "It's ten months since we made our little agreement." 

Ginny opened one eye and returned him a lazy smile. "So it is." 

"Well, um, what do you think about making it a permanent arrangement?" Said Draco nervously. 

"Permanent?" Said Ginny. "Like how?" 

Draco drew breath. "Like, would you consider marrying me?" 

"Oh dear." Said Ginny sitting bolt upright. She frowned and grasped her hands round her knees. "I...I don't think so Draco, I really don't. I mean, I don't dislike you any more, in fact I quite like you. And I am grateful for what you have done for my family. I enjoy your company and our snog sessions. But marriage? Love? Sheesh! I mean I am sure I would be happy if we got married, but Draco...I don't think I'm in love." 

Draco exhaled slowly and looked at her, his face, initially flushed and expectant, took on that distant and almost sneering look of the Draco of old. 


	4. Ginny in Command

Disclaimer: As usual, I own none of the characters, that's JKRowling and Bloomsbury Books and Warner Bros. 

I am also not making anything out of this. 

A warm thank you to those who have reviewed this story so far. 

From our last chapter" 

_"Oh dear." Said Ginny sitting bolt upright. She frowned and grasped her hands round her knees. "I...I don't think so Draco, I really don't. I mean, I don't dislike you any more, in fact I quite like you. And I am grateful for what you have done for my family. I enjoy your company and our snog sessions. But marriage? Love? Sheesh! I mean I am sure I would be happy if we got married, but Draco...I don't think I'm in love."_

__

_Draco exhaled slowly and looked at her, his face, initially flushed and expectant, took on that distant and almost sneering look of the Draco of old._

__

__

Chapter 4 

Ginny turned to him. "Draco. Would you wish someone to marry you out of gratitude, or as a favour to a friend? Or out of lust? Those are my feelings. But I'm not in love. I'd be happy to extend our little arrangement for as long as you want...but love? I'm not sure I know what love is yet. I'm sorry if this hurts, but it would be worse to lie." She turned her head away from a Draco almost turned to stone. 

"I'm sorry," She whispered. 

When he finally spoke, it was with a certain dejected remoteness. 

"I've got a job offer that will take me away here for several months at a time. I was hoping you might want to come with me, but it's the sort of job we would have to be married to do that. Anyhow, that's not going to happen." He fished in the pocket of his robes and came out with a much folded piece of paper. "Here," he pressed the paper into her hand. "Will you do me the honour of reading this? It's from a muggle book I read sometime back." 

With that, he stood up and brushed off his robes absently. "I guess there's nothing more to say other than..." Here he broke off, biting his lip, and to Ginny the silence was terrible. "...my best wishes for you future health and happiness." With that he disapparated, leaving Ginny with the paper in her hand. 

She blinked back a tear and started to read: 

_"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, _

_and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal._

_  
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, _

_and all knowledge; and though I have all faith,_

_ so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing_. 

_  
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, _

_and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, _

_it profiteth me nothing._

___  
__Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; _

_love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,_

_  
Love doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own,_

_is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;_

_  
Love rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;_

_  
Love beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things,_

_endureth all things._

___  
__Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail;_

_Whether there be tongues, they shall cease; _

_whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away."_

__

Ginny looked at the paper in her hand, and her heart suddenly felt a chill. 

"Draco! Draco! Come back here you prat." She shouted. Suddenly she wanted to speak to him to talk things over. 

Bloody men! She thought, and stomped back toward the house. At least George and Fred would be happy, she consoled herself. 

For two weeks, she worked at her business, throwing herself into it and trying to forget Malfoy. Sometimes, she even convinced herself that she had done the right thing. Yet, whenever there was a knock on the door, she would rush to it, only to be disappointed when it was an owl with some orders or her father or one of the workers at the business. 

This day, came such another knock. Again, she rushed to the door, and again, her face fell ludicrously when she saw it wasn't Draco. 

"That's not the sort of welcome I expected," said the man at the door. "May I come in?" 

"Professor Dumbledore! Of course. ER...come in." Ginny made way for the headmaster of Hogwarts. 

Dumbledore looked round the office and smiled. "I see that you have made quite a success of this business Miss Weasley. I hear that you have not only become the country's biggest supplier of potion ingredients, but you are also selling herbs to muggle restaurants as well." 

Ginny blushed and said. "You are to kind Professor. In fact I hardly do any work round here nowadays, it is really my father who is doing most of the work." 

"Ah." Said Dumbledore. "That brings me to the reason I am here. Professor Sprout has tendered her resignation from Hogwarts, so I am looking for someone to teach herbology. I was thinking that our best herbology student who has gone in four years from nothing to the biggest potion supply in the country might be a good candidate for that position." 

He paused and looked at Ginny. "I would really like to have you on my staff at Hogwarts Miss Weasley. You were also very skilled in defense against the dark arts, so you might also be able to cover for lessons there as well from time to time. What do you say Miss Weasley?" 

Ginny was stunned by this unexpected invitation. Still, as she looked around, she realised that she certainly had the time to do it now that her father was running the business. Further to that, now that Malfoy had disappeared from the face of the earth, there was nothing to keep her here. 

"Thank you for that Professor Dumbledore. I accept." 

Professor Dumbledore bowed his head. "Welcome to Hogwarts, Professor Weasley!" 

"Can I offer you some tea, Headmaster?" She asked. 

"Why certainly." Dumbledore took a seat by the window. 

Virginia made a pot of tea and placed it with some tea cake in front of the headmaster. 

Virginia wrinkled her brow. "Headmaster, you mentioned that I might do some filling in for the defence against the dark arts teacher. Who is teaching that this year?" 

Dumbledore sipped the fragrant Russian Caravan tea. "I have invited someone to take up the position, but he has not responded yet. I shall not know if he is going to take the position till I see him. I am going to meet him after this. So at the moment, I unfortunately cannot tell you who he is. It might come to nothing yet. So I shall expect you at Hogwarts in two weeks' time for start of classes. If you would owl me with the booklist for your class I should be obliged, although I recommend that at this stage you do not change what Professor Sprout has already set. Well, I must fly to my next appointment." With that he disapparated. 

Two weeks later Ginny aproached at the head table with the other teachers watching the sorting ceremony. She still had not seen the new DADA teacher and so was anticipating this meal with some degree of curiosity. She took one of two vacant seats next to each other and looked down the table. There he was! It was Harry...and Hermione was with him. 

Ginny leaned across and greeted them. "Hey Harry, Hermione! Great to see you? How's it been? What are you doing here? Are you the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher? Are you both teaching?" 

"Whoa! Slow down there! One at a time. We are great. I am here on Ministry Business and you'll hear more about that after the dinner, and I am not the DADA teacher, Hermione was invited to come with me by Professor Dumbledore as his guest. Besides," he grinned, "the DADA teacher seems to be a very short term prospect. Any more questions?" He grinned. 

"Well, who is the new DADA teacher?" Huffed Ginny. 

There was a little 'pop' in the vacant chair next to her, but just as she was about to turn to see who it was, Professor Dumbledore rose to make his speech. 

"Welcome to you all. I need to explain to you all that you must not go into the forbidden forest. Only third years and above can go to Hogsmeade without permission, and there are two additions to the staff this year." 

He paused and looked at Ginny. "Professor Weasley who owns one of our most successful potion supply businesses will teach herbology, and Professor Malfoy who was one of our most gifted students and crucial in the recent war against Voldemort is our new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. 

Now let the feasting begin!" 

Ginny turned round to see the icy face of Draco Malfoy looking at her. "You!" Suddenly, she was seized with a fit of embarrassment. 

"Indeed Professor Weasley! It is I." Draco inclined his head slightly and then turned his full attention to his meal. 

When the feast had finished and the prefects had led the students to their common rooms, Dumbledore addressed the teachers. 

"Tomorrow, there will be classes in the afternoons only as the students will be out on a field exercise with Madame Hooch in the morning. So you will have some last minutes to prepare your lesson plans. However, for your information, Mr Potter is here as the Ministry representative for the annual demonstration of the unforgivable curses for the seventh years. That lesson will be given by Professor Malfoy, but, as you all know, the Ministry needs to ensure that their special dispensation for using these curses is not abused. I should also like to nominate Professor Weasley to assist Professor Malfoy in the demonstration. As an extra precaution, we need to do some rehearsals for this tomorrow morning. I need not warn you that there must be no mistakes in this class. Well then, off with you. I shall see you all at breakfast." 

During this speech, Ginny had been sneaking glances at the impassive profile of Draco Malfoy, as if she were trying to work out what he was thinking. These glances, as brief as they were, did not escape the eyes of Harry Potter, nor the eagle gaze of Hermione. 

As they headed to their rooms for the night, Harry hurried up to Draco. "Draco, do you have some time to speak to me?" 

"Of course Pothead. It'll be good to catch up. But I can't share a butterbeer, since I need to have a clear head for the class tomorrow." 

"Oh well." Said Harry. "I guess some tea will have to do." 

They entered Draco's office and sat down. 

"You know what my question is don't you, Draco?" 

Draco sighed. "And I can tell you the answer is that she won't have me. She said so." 

"Hmm, so did you have a fight?" 

"No," Draco sighed despondently, "that's what makes it so depressing. I could cope with her saying no to me if it were just a flash of the Weasley temper. I'd just ask her again when she cooled down. Trouble is, we seemed to be getting on very well. She just said that she liked me, she respected me, she wanted to continue our 'arrangement', but marry me? No way." 

Harry pondered this for a minute. "Look Draco, I think you have some hope you know. She was looking at you a lot this evening, and it didn't look like she was only interested in being 'friends' as far as I could see. Besides," he continued with a grin, "she will have to be near you for another year now. Sounds like you have a chance to work the Malfoy charm in that time." 

Draco shook his head. "I don't think I could stand being so close to her for a year and not be able to, you know" 

Harry smirked appreciatively. "Of course I know, I'm married, after all. Wasn't it Hermione and I that thought up that strategy of you approaching Ginny after our wedding and making that, er, _business proposal_? Don't tell me that you didn't make lots of progress with Ginny in that time, cos I won't believe you. And nor will Hermione," he added with a grin. 

Malfoy's mouth turned up in a reluctant half smile. "That's all very well, but if in the end, she won't marry me, what's the point?" 

"Listen you great birk! Didn't you say she would be happy to continue the 'arrangement'? Sounds to me like you only need a little more time and you'll get her to agree to marry you. You're mad if you give up now. Especially considering that the nights get a little cold here, I would have thought that taking her offer up would be in your best interest. As long as no one else here finds out." Harry winked. 

With that, Harry reached into his bag and pulled out his invisibility cloak. "OK Draco. You can have this for a loan. No problems at all now in seeing Ginny any time you want. Anyhow I'm off to bed." Harry got up and with a pat on the shoulder slid out of the office, leaving a contemplative Draco Malfoy looking at the cloak. 

The next day, Ginny arrived at the classroom for the demonstration a couple of minutes early. None of the other teachers was there, but the students had already filed in and were sitting in their seats with a little hum of chatter. 

Oh well, thought Ginny. Might as well go in now as any time. 

She entered the classroom and walked to the front. It wasn't as if she was nervous -- after all, it was not her class, but she was conscious that she was being sized up by the seventh years, and any sign of weakness would be round the school within half a day. Any sign of weakness and she would do it hard keeping discipline over the next year. 

All of a sudden an object whistled past her ears. The class tittered. She turned round quickly and met the eyes of a rather large and sneering slytherin who had obviously hurled the missile. 

"Ah, Mr Goyle. I remember your elder brother." 

"Really?" He replied with an insolent look at her. 

"Yes Really Mr Goyle. Sit up please." 

"You going to make me?" He snorted. 

At that moment Malfoy and Dumbledore came into the classroom. Both had heard Goyle and did not look happy. Malfoy in particular, was fingering his wand. Ginny flashed a warning look at them -- she had to handle this herself without being seen to need Dumbledore or Malfoy to help her. Her credibility was on the line. 

"_Avistonate_" she said under her breath and moved her fingers in Goyle's direction. 

Suddenly he stood up like a marionette. 

Ginny moved her fingers some more and Goyle started to move out of his chair like a puppet on strings. The Class giggled, quietly at first, but louder and louder as Goyle's movements became more bizarre. As Ginny waved her hands, he pranced up and down in front of the class, with his hands and arms and legs flying in all directions. By the time Ginny brought him to a stop, the class was howling with laughter and Goyle was red with fury. 

"OK now Mr Goyle," said Ginny quietly, "now we have established that I can make you sit up straight, perhaps you might like to make your way to your seat by yourself. Or would you prefer if I had you walk like that to the Great Hall?" 

Goyle ground his teeth, but wisely headed back to his seat, now being conscious of the serious gaze of Dumbledore, and the deadly gaze of the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. 

"Twenty points off Slytherin!" Hissed Malfoy as he swept past. 

"Well class." Said Dumbledore who by now had reached the front. "I can see that Professor Weasley has been giving you some interesting demonstrations of wandless magic. As headmaster, I pride myself that the teaching staff here are the best in the world. Not many witches or wizards can do wandless magic, and even fewer can make their own hexes, but that _Avistonatus_ Curse was actually invented by Professor Weasley. I am sure Mr Goyle, that further demonstrations can be arranged if you are so inclined. However, I am sure that you are all by now quite convinced that Professor Weasley is quite able to assert her authority without the need for my intervention." 

"On to today's lesson. As you are aware, there are a number of unforgivable curses, and as part of your training you need to be aware of them and countering them. In previous years, you have seen them demonstrated on beetles as part of your curriculum. However, beetles can hardly defend themselves so the demonstrations have limited value. Therefore for your seventh year in one of the classes, we demonstrate countering the unforgivable curses using people." At this Dumbledore gave a thin smile. "And volunteers are welcome. However, since the curses are unforgivable, we have to get Ministry of Magic approval for the demonstration and have a representative from the Ministry here. Hence we have Mr Potter as the Ministry's witness. As part of the rules set down by the Ministry for the demonstration, I must also attend the class. Finally, as further safety we have Madame Pomfrey here, as well as some padding on the walls round where we will do the demonstration. I think that covers it. Mr Malfoy, please proceed." 

As rehearsed in the practice session, Draco sat on one seat at the front of the class next to some padding, and Virginia on another seat on the left side of the room. They both pulled out their wands. 

Dumbledore looked at both of them. "Are you ready?" 

They nodded. 

"Then proceed in your own time." 

Ginny pointed her wand at Draco and said "_Crucio_." Sparks started to emanate from the end of the wand. 

Draco gave a quick "_Expelliarmus_." Ginny's wand jerked from her hand and flew into Draco's. 

They repeated the curses a couple of times with similar results. Goyle yawned loudly, again to some tittering in the class. 

"Slow learner!" Muttered Draco under his breath. But out loud, he barked at Goyle. "Do you have a problem with this demonstration Goyle?" 

Goyle, having had time to get his composure back from his earlier humiliation was spoiling for revenge. 

"Yeah well, it is hardly a real demonstration, since you aren't really trying are you?" He smirked at his own cleverness. 

Virginia piped up. "Well, Mr Goyle, perhaps you would like to try cursing one of us. Professor Dumbledore did say that volunteers were welcome." Dumbledore inclined his head. 

Goyle stood up and said, "I think I could beat you easily _Professor_ Weasley." 

Draco got up from his seat and motioned toward it. "The chair is all yours Goyle." 

No sooner had he reached the chair, when Goyle waved his wand and shouted "_CRUCIO_!!!!" 

Virginia, with a smile whispered "_Expelliarmus_." 

The wand jerked out of Goyle's hand and into Ginny's, but the force of her countercurse hurled him hard against the padding, knocking the breath out of him and leaving him gasping for breath in a heap on the floor. 

Madam Pomfrey rushed over to the wheezing boy, but with a shake of her head pronounced him well enough. "Just winded, Headmaster." 

"Anyone else?" Said Malfoy with a smirk. 

Dumbledore spoke up with a twinkle in his eye. "I forgot to mention that Professor Weasley was also one of the best Defence against the Dark Arts students at Hogwarts, and she carried that through in the great war against Voldemort. There are many death eaters now in Azkabhan who saw the wrong end of Professor Weasley's wand. I wouldn't advise anybody here to get her angry. Even the dullest of you could see that Professor Weasley was hardly trying in that last demonstration." Professor Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at a rather humble looking Goyle. 

"Are there any questions?" Said Malfoy. 

"Please Sir!" A rather serious looking Ravenclaw witch put up her hand. 

"Yes." Malfoy raised an eyebrow. 

"Well what exactly _is _the best defence against the dark arts?" She muttered. 

"That's simple." Replied Malfoy. "In one word, Love. That is the greatest defence against the dark arts. I am sure that you are aware of the circumstances of Voldmemort trying and failing to kill Mr Potter here when he was a baby? It was the power of love that preserved him, and almost destroyed Voldemort." The class nodded their heads, all had heard that story. 

The serious Ravenclaw raised her hand again. "Please Professor. Surely that was a one-off event. I mean it doesn't happen often enough to make it a general rule does it?" 

At this, Harry Potter, who had been standing silently behind Dumbledore and Malfoy, piped up. 

"Oh, I can give at least one other example, and more recent than my experience. That is if the Headmaster permits?" 

Dumbledore nodded his head in assent. "Please proceed Mr Potter." 

Harry cleared his throat and began. "It was the final battle with Voldemort. He and the death eaters had breached the wards of this castle. 

The battle was raging with teachers and senior students battling with the incoming death eaters, hexes and curses were flying everywhere, wizards and witches on both sides were being injured and killed. Yet neither side had the upper hand. I thought it strange that neither the Headmaster nor Voldemort were anywhere to be seen, when suddenly it came to me. Voldemort had taken off after the Headmaster after he had breached the castle wards. They were going to duel, and whoever won the duel between them would come back to finish off the others. I knew that if there was a duel, Voldemort would not play fair. The Headmaster was in trouble, so I headed up to his office." 

Harry paused. "There was the Headmaster immobilised with a _Petrificatus_ curse, a dark wizard called Wormtail dead on the floor, and Voldemort waiting for me." 

"Well, Mr Potter. I was expecting you." Voldemort's red eyes glowed with triumph. "This old fool was so predictable that he thought I would come here alone to fight, and while he was disposing of my 'disposable' henchman here, I was able to immobilise him." 

I replied. "I am surprised that you did not try to finish him off." 

"All in good time." Hissed Voldemort. "I just wanted him to see you destroyed before he dies. Just to make sure that the last thing he knows is that everything he stood for has been annihilated." 

Voldemort drew out his wand and shouted "_Avada Kedavra_!" 

I shouted "_Expelliarmus_" in return. As you might know, both of our wands contained the feathers from the same phoenix, and therefore, the wands connected with a stream of light. We had fought before like this, and that time I had managed to beat him by the skin of my teeth. But this time, he had gained in power, far more than I had, and his curse was travelling along the stream of light toward the end of my wand. No matter how hard I tried, it was getting closer and closer to me. I was sweating blood, only a few more minutes, and I would be dead, and so would my friends. For without the headmaster, Voldemort would go back to the main battle and it would all be over. 

But just as I was about finished, there was a 'pop' beside me, and Professor Malfoy apparated. 

Voldemort smiled. "Welcome young Malfoy. How goes the battle? You are just about to see the end of the famous Potter and Albus Dumbledore. You will join me and the other death eaters and rid the world of mudbloods and muggle lovers. You will have power, money and fame beyond your wildest dreams. Watch as I finish Potter off." 

Harry continued. "If I had thought the situation was hopeless before, I knew that it was now decided." 

"_Petrificus totalis_!" Shouted Malfoy. 


	5. Draco Finally On Top

Disclaimer: 

I own none of this Harry Potter and all the other characters are owned by JKRowling, Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books, Warner Bros. I make nothing out of this. 

Many thanks to all those who have reviewed 

From our last chapter: 

_Voldemort smiled. "Welcome young Malfoy. How goes the battle? You are just about to see the end of the famous Potter and Albus Dumbledore. You will join me and the other death eaters and rid the world of mudbloods and muggle lovers. You will have power, money and fame beyond your wildest dreams. Watch as I finish Potter off."_

_Harry continued. "If I had thought the situation was hopeless before, I knew that it was now decided."_

_"Petrificus totalis!" Shouted Malfoy._

__

Chapter 5 - Draco on top at last. 

The look of furious surprise on Voldmort's face as Professor Malfoy's curse hit him, was ludicrous. 

The connection to my wand weakened, but did not break though, and the petrifying charm did not work completely, so powerful the dark wizard was. Yet Voldemort did slow down and I was able to stop the curse moving toward me. 

Malfoy then pointed his wand at Professor Dumbledore and shouted "_Finite incantatem_!" Suddenly the headmaster was able to move his limbs. Professor Dumbledore quickly picked up his wand and a small empty vial from a side table. 

Voldemort hissed at him. "Three against one? Doesn't seem very fair now does it? Does the great Dumbledore need the help of children to fight me?" 

Dumbledore just shook his head and smiled as he pointed the wand at Voldemort. "_Sosiouxme_!" 

Suddenly Voldemort's skin started blistering and a spurt of blood left his body and collected in the glass vial in Dumbledore's hand. In an instant, Voldemort's body seemed to be imploding on itself, getting smaller and weaker. The connection between his wand and mine broke as his wand fell to the floor. Al that was left of Voldemort was a pile of goo on the floor. Dumbledore scooped up the goo, and placed it into a little casket. He then sealed the casket, and with a simple "_Adastra_" spell sent the casket flying off into space. I should imagine that Voldemort's remains are frying on the surface of the sun as I speak. 

Harry paused. "I guess you are thinking, this is all an interesting story, but what has it to do with the power of love?" 

Several heads in the class nodded, including the serious Ravenclaw witch. 

"Professor Malfoy was the son of a death eater, he was raised to become one himself, and with his family background would have looked forward to power and influence, riches beyond belief had he joined the dark side. It was almost a foregone conclusion that Draco Malfoy would become one of the world's most powerful dark wizards. 

Yet something made him give up all that wealth and power. What could that have been, I wonder?" 

Harry smiled. "Well, it just so happened that in our sixth year at Hogwarts, Professor Malfoy fell head over heels in love with a little red haired Gryffindor witch," at this he looked significantly at Ginny, "someone who would have been killed by Voldemort had he won. The moment Professor Malfoy fell in love, he was secured for the side of light, and all the power, the riches and all the influence that Voldemort had to offer were as nothing to the power of love." 

At this, Harry smiled a little wryly. "In fact, from personal experience, love is sometimes like a cross between the _Imperius_ and _Cruciatus _curses." 

Harry cast another look at Ginny, who suddenly seemed to have developed a keen interest in the class room floor boards. 

"After that point," continued Harry, "Professor Malfoy's life was not his own, and Voldemort's fate was sealed. We are all here today, safe and sound because of the power that that Gryffindor witch has over someone who otherwise would have been on the dark side." 

"Has?" Asked the studious Ravenclaw. "Don't you mean 'had'? I mean surely they would have married in all this time. I mean he did ask her to marry him didn't he?" 

"He certainly did." Replied Harry. "But I believe that she refused." 

The witches in the class looked at the handsome, and now revealed to be heroic Malfoy, and then at each other. "He's single? He wouldn't need to ask me twice." Were whispered round the class, and not a few witches started eyeing Malfoy off. Malfoy alternately looked furiously at Potter, and uncharacteristically for him, blushed. 

The effect on Ginny, of the obvious lusting by the young witches in the class, was entirely different. Her normally slim hands were now curled like the talons of a bird of prey about to rip its victim apart. Her eyes were wild with jealousy, and her hair seemed to be almost electrified. None of these little &*!!#$# were going to get her wizard. No way! 

At this point, Professor Dumbledore thought it wise to interrupt lest mayhem let loose. "I will remind you all, that members of staff and students do not fraternise, and that is a rule enforced most strictly. Mr Malfoy, I shall leave you to continue your class. Professor Weasley, Madam Pomfrey and Mr Potter, I would be pleased if you would join me with Mrs Potter for refreshments in my office." With that, they left Malfoy to finish the class. 

Later that night after curfew, in Professor Dumbledore's office, a strange meeting was just concluding. Harry and Hermione had conspiratorial grins on their faces, Draco looked hopeful, and Dumbledore had his usual twinkle in his eye. 

"Well Professor," said Hermione, "I never believed you would be part of this, but it sure makes the whole thing a lot more certain." 

Dumbledore chuckled. "My dear Mrs Potter. I see this little exercise as just a way of ensuring that Hogwarts gets some good wizarding blood in future generations. All part of a Headmaster's job I can assure you. The fact that it also promises to be fun is an added attraction, of course." 

He looked at Draco. "Well now, be off with you!" 

Some few minutes later, there was a knock at the door of Prof Weasley's office. She looked up from the next day's lesson plans and called, "Come in." 

A blonde head poked round the door. "Am I welcome?" 

Ginny smiled. "Of course you are. After all, there is one day left on our original twelve month agreement. I could hardly refuse you could I?" She pointed to a sofa along one wall of the room and when Malfoy had takenn off his invisibility cloak and sat down, she sat down next to him, twining her arms around him, nuzzling her face into his neck. 

She undid a couple of buttons of his shirt and slipped her hand in to feel the warmth of his chest. "Was that story Harry told today all true?" She asked. 

"Basically yes." He replied. 

"And that bit about being in love with a Gryffindor witch? Was that true too?" 

Malfoy laughed. "If you remember, when we first entered into our little 'arrangement', I said I was in love with you." 

Ginny had the grace to look sheepish. "And I didn't believe you did I? 

Malfoy smiled. "Well, I hardly expected you to. I acted like a prat toward you for most of the time at Hogwarts. And the manner of my 'proposal' at the time was rather ungentlemanlike. I was really focussed at that time on getting you to a point where you would have to go out with me and give me a chance to show you that a future with me was possible. I wanted you so badly." 

"Wanted?" Ginny raised an eyebrow. 

"Want, and now!" Replied Draco, moving a little to place his lips on hers. Suddenly he broke off the kiss and knelt before her. "Ginny, I hope this is the last time a Malfoy has to go to his knees before a Weasley, but you know I love you and want to marry you. My feelings and wishes are the same as they were last month, but if you do not return my love, one word from you will silence me on this matter forever." 

Ginny felt the awkwardness of the situation, but in a few nervous words assured Draco that her feelings were now entirely different. 

She tried to calm her nervousness by saying jokingly to Draco. "I hope that this is not the last time that a Malfoy goes on his knees to a Weasley. The feeling from up here is quite satisfying." 

Draco, with a smile all over his face laughed. "Well, my little goose. If we get married then you will be Virginia Malfoy, and I won't be on my knees to a Weasley at all. That is unless you are proposing that we live together without the benefit of marriage." At this he smirked. "And I know that I can enlist your mother's opposition to that, so you might as well resign yourself to becoming Mrs Malfoy." 

Virginia sighed. "Well then, I see I have no option other than to accept. Yes, I shall marry you, Draco. Now get up here and kiss me properly. I am not sure where you are looking when you are down there." 

"With pleasure, my dear!" 

"Oh!" Said Ginny. "With Pleasure? Now that will cost extra." She giggled mischievously. "You know, I think I am becoming as depraved as you are Draco. If this continues, our children will be sorted into Slytherin!" 

"And the problem with that is?" Snorted Malfoy. 

"Oh just shut up and kiss me." 

With that Malfoy gave up on the arguing and settled down to serious business. 

Of course as we all know, there is always something to spoil one's fun, and this is no exception, for not only had they settled down to some serious snogging, there was a knock on the door. 

"*#$##@!!!" Cursed Malfoy as Ginny grabbed up her clothes and ducked into the bathroom. 

Draco composed himself as best he could, and directed what he hoped was a calm, "Come in!" at the offending doorway. 

Professor Dumbledore walked in followed closely by Harry and Hermione Potter. 

"You can come out of there Professor Weasley." He announced toward the bathroom. 

Draco stood up in embarrassment. "Professor, I can explain..." 

"I sincerely hope that you can Professor Malfoy. I expect the highest moral standards from my teaching staff. No exceptions." Was the stern reply. 

**Draco drew breath. "Professor, Harry, Hermione...I am happy to tell you that Virginia has consented to be my wife -- we are engaged." **

**"**May I offer my congratulations then." 

"And ours too." Added Harry and Hermione. 

"However," continued the headmaster "engaged is _not_ the same as married and I desire to know what it is you are going to do about it!" 

Ginny's face dropped. This looked as though she was going to have the shortest teaching career in the world. 

"Um, well, headmaster," said Malfoy in his usual drawl, "what if Professor Weasley and I were to marry immediately?" 

Dumbledore gave the impression of pondering this for a minute, and after casting a sly look at Harry and Hermione said. "And how do you propose doing that, Professor Malfoy? There are no marriage celebrants at Hogwarts and at this time of night either." 

Draco smiled. "True enough, but this isn't the only time zone in the world, nor the only place where we could marry. I think I can find a suitable portkey." 

"I am all astonishment Professor Malfoy. This should be interesting." 

Draco ducked out of the room, and in five minutes he was back with what appeared to be a tattered copy of "_Pride and Prejudice"_ by Jane Austen grasped triumphantly in his hand. "The portkey." He announced. 

Dumbledore looked at Harry and Hermione again. "In that case, let us proceed." 

They all grasped the tattered paperback, and in an instant were in bright sunlight in a very garish landscape. 

"Where are we?" Gasped Ginny. 

"The one place in the world where you can get married at any time of the day, and with any theme you want...LAS VEGAS!" Announced Draco with a bow. "Look here, there are about six wedding chapels with all the costumes and themes you can think of for hire." Draco looked at Ginny. "Guess we should have a look at what's on offer." 

Ginny looked about hesitantly. Finally, she gathered her wits and headed toward the first chapel. "Ugh! An 'Elvis' wedding...blecchuu!" She headed toward the next one. "Blimey...I didn't know that 'Playwizard' had a franchise here!" She fixed Draco with a steely gaze. "If you think I am getting married without my clothes, you have another think coming Buster!"****

**"**But Ginny! No problems with ill fitting hired suits." 

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I am not even going to dignify that statement by making a reply."****

**"**Ginny!" Exclaimed Hermione. "Come over here! Look at this one. It has an early nineteenth century British wedding theme. You know, like the characters out of '_Pride and Prejudice'. _And, look at the costumes in the window Ginny." 

Ginny went to the window, and just stared at the wedding dress. It was her dream wedding dress right there, cream with a small amount of lace and puff sleeves with a high waist. 

Hermione gave her a nudge.** "**Looks pretty good from here. Do you want to try it?" 

"Oh yes," breathed Ginny, "it's perfect." 

With that, she dragged Hermione inside, followed by a very smug looking Draco. 

When Draco, Harry and Dumbledore got inside, Ginny was already trying on the dress. "It fits! It fits! It fits perfectly!" She shouted. 

"Well, what are you three looking at?" Said Hermione, "You had better try on the bridegroom's costume Draco, and you, Harry Potter can be the best man, so you had better tog up as well." 

"Yes Ma'am!" They both stood to attention and saluted before scuttling off to try on some 19th century costume. 

"You know Hermione," confided Ginny twenty minutes later, "I still can't believe how well it all fits. This is the first store I have been in where the shoes are actually comfortable, and stylish. It's almost like they knew I was coming." 

This reverie was broken by the arrival of the celebrant, a portly rosy cheeked happy looking soul. 

"Are we all ready?" He addressed the group vaguely. 

"Um, yes." Squeaked Ginny and Draco together, much to the amusement of the Potters and Dumbledore. 

The celebrant raised his eyebrows. "And you have a ring?" 

Ginny panicked as she thought to herself, that there hadn't been any time for picking rings. 

However, Draco appeared nonchalant. "Yes, indeed I do." He whispered to Ginny. "Relax. It will do for the ceremony, and if you don't like it, we can get another afterward." 

"Well," said the celebrant. "About the charges and payment terms..." 

Draco took out his Gringotts' Ultra-superior-platinum card and handed it to the celebrant who went a mild shade of purple. 

"Aah. Then you'll be wanting our superior service. The ceremony faithfully follows the early nineteenth century wording. There will be cards in the chapel with the exact wording of your responses on them. All you have to do is come with me with your best man, and take your place by the altar. And your bride can come in..." 

"...any time she wants." Finished Draco, waving the card in front of the celebrant. 

"Indeed." The man bowed so that his face almost touched his knees. "Let us proceed." And with that he showed Draco and Harry toward the side entrance and pointed Ginny and Matron of honour Hermione to the large oak main doors. Then he was gone. 

"Oh. But I need to have someone to give me away." Said Ginny. 

"Perhaps I can help with that for the time being?" Said Dumbledore with a mysterious smile. "Shall we proceed?" 

Ginny gulped. "I guess so." With that, the doors to the chapel opened and Ginny walked through. 

And stopped! 

For inside the chapel, with huge grins on their faces were all her family and friends from work and Hogwarts. There must have been a hundred people there at least. "Surprise!" They all shouted! 

Her father came up and said to Prof Dumbledore, who also had smile from ear to ear. "I think I should do the traditional march up the aisle with my daughter don't you think, Albus?" 

Ginny looked at the smirking faces of Draco, Harry and Hermione. "You planned this all didn't you!" She mouthed at them. 

"Hello Aunty Dinny!" Cried Charlie's little three year old daughter with a bouquet and little dress to match Ginny's. "I'se your flower dirl!" She announced proudly. 

Suddenly, the music for the bridal march struck up. Ginny frowned, it was not the usual music, but it was familiar. Suddenly it came to her. It was '_The Entrance of the Queen of Sheba' _from the Muggle oratorio 'Solomon'. She looked at Draco and shook her head in amazement as she made her way down the aisle. 

Finally, she stopped before the celebrant and moved next to Draco. Draco smiled at her, and then at the celebrant, signalling him to start. 

The celebrant coughed and intoned. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in...." 

It all passed in a whirl before Ginny -- this surprise was all too much. All she remembered was Draco looking at her as he made his vows. 

_"I Draco, take thee Virginia to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth." _

__She didn't even remember making her own vows, although as Draco reminded her many times during their long marriage, that she had in fact not only made the vows, but had agreed _"...to love, cherish, and **obey**_..." And since all her friends and family who were at the wedding heard it, there was no denying it. 

After the ceremony, the bridal party and guests portkeyed back to Hogwarts for the wedding feast. 

"Even the house elves were in on this." Ginny muttered darkly at one point during the midnight feast_. _

Draco only smirked and squeezed her hand under the table. "You wait till we get back to Malfoy Manor. The house elves there are beside themselves with happiness I am told." 

Ginny wrinkled her brow. "I would hope they would be happy, but why would they be, er, 'beside themselves'?" 

"Ah," said Malfoy, "Well, they like you already from what they have seen of you in your visits there over the past year. Dobby has also told them that you come from a family that has lots of children. Children make house elves very happy, so lots of children make them...." Draco waggled his eyebrows suggestively. 

Ginny looked at her plate and blushed. 

"Speaking of children, Mrs Malfoy, reminds me of something. Shall we leave these revellers to their own devices? We have a marriage to start." He breathed slyly in her ear. 

__

__Epilogue 

Albus Dumbledore sat himself down on the fireside chair in his office. The multi-colour, multi-dimensional chess set that his mother and father had given him for his own graduation from Hogwarts those many years ago, sat on a small table just in front of him. This version of chess was so difficult that it was said that it took a lifetime to complete, and Albus Dumbledore wryly contemplated that fact as he looked at the last two pieces on the board; the red queen and the white king. "She has held you in check for long enough, my friend," said Dumbledore to the white king. "The end game is often the hardest. But now she has finally come within range." 

With that, Dumbledore motioned with his wand at the figures on the board. Slowly, gently, the white king moved and took the red queen. Mate. 

Dumbledore closed his eyes, and as he slipped into oblivion, he dreamed of the next generations of wide eyed wizard children facing the sorting hat. 

"Hermione Malfoy, Ron Malfoy, Virginia Potter, Draco Weasley, Harry Weasley," he could hear it in his head. An impish smile of satisfaction briefly crossed his face as he imagined the mischief to be wrought by the latest set of Weasley twins...and with that, Albus Dumbledore was gone. 

_When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a wizard, I put away childish things.  
_

_For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.  
_

_And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.  
_

__Author's note: The _Sosiouxme_ spell cast by Prof Dumbledore is a spell used by ancient Native American wizards to extract blood. It is related to the Japanese _Sosumi_ spell used for the same purpose. For some reason, perhaps due to the relative weakness of the Ministry of Magic several hundred years ago in frontier America, and the difficulty of administering memory charms there, it must have leaked through to the Muggle world. Muggles have adopted this term before they go to court to get money from each other - extracting blood out of a stone, so to speak. In this case, the charm had such an effect on Voldemort because, as described in "The Goblet of Fire", he had used some of Harry's blood to resurrect himself. Once Harry's blood had been reclaimed, Voldemort fell apart. Final notes: Grammar and spelling. Since JKR and our characters are British, I have attempted to use British grammar and spelling. So, for example, axe, moustache, dialling, pedalling, and dialogue are correct, and ax, mustach, dialing, pedaling and dialog are wrong -- in this story :). I have also taken into account that very few persons speak in a grammatically correct manner, so dialogue does contain comma splices, etc. Finally, JKR also uses some unique grammatical and spelling conventions of her own. I have tried to keep to those where I am aware of them. The Sugarquill (http://www.sugarquill.com) has a handy summary of JKR'isms. Unfortunately, the accompanying standard grammar is US English, and therefore possibly misleading if used for a British story. I hasten to add that I have the greatest respect for "Strunk and White", but they aint British. There is also a couple of bloopers there -- nobody's perfect. :) 


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